The invention concerns a male connector for a guide wire. More specifically, the invention concerns a male connector with conductors, presenting a continuous outer surface to preclude contamination of conductors.
Guide wires are generally known in the art. Their use is, for example, in connection with the treatment of coronary disease. As is conventional, a contrast media is used in connection with an x-ray of a blood vessel to show occlusion, however, without showing a cross section of a stenosis. Complicating the diagnosis of the problem is that different patients have different blood flow. It is accepted that measurement of the pressure is the best way to diagnose the significance of the stenosis. In use of the guide wire, it is introduced into the femoral artery and then positioned in the desired area. Once the guide wire is positioned, a catheter is introduced over the guide wire. A balloon dilation may then be done. An electrical connector is desirable to use at the proximal end of the guide wire, permitting a change of the catheter. However, such changeable connectors may be contaminated by blood and other bodily fluids at the time the catheter is changed.
A guide wire assembly with connectors is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,159, Christian. These connectors, however, do not work well after blood contamination, which may cause a short circuit. In addition, the '159 patent is an example of a connector with crevices which are difficult to clean.
Other electrical connectors are known, however, not used within the guide wire situation which requires an extremely small size connector. U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,149, Palowski, shows a multiple contact jack assembly. Such a construction, which however may show what appears to be continuous surface, in fact has joints which create a capillary action allowing penetration of bodily fluids therein. With the small size required by the guide wire, the bodily fluids can create a short circuit in the contact.
Other conventional electric connector plugs and sockets are known. These include, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,238,834, Travers; U.S. Pat. No. 3,766,512, Falbet. Again, these are relatively large devices and unusable in connection with a guide wire.
Consequently, there remains a need for a contact which can be used with the restricted small size of a guide wire, which has a cylindrical or smooth outer surface which is easy to clean from blood. In addition, there remains a need for a contact which can be used in situations where there might be contamination by human or animal body fluid, which avoids contamination by those fluids which could otherwise cause a short circuit.
In addition, there is a need for a male connector for a guide wire which can be automatically cleaned upon connection to the female member.
Further need in the industry is for a guide wire male connector which is relatively straightforward to manufacture, in spite of the restricted small size imposed by using as part of a guide wire.
There is also a need for a guide wire which includes a contact which is as forgiving as possible of handling by the physician, including, for example, bending.
Finally, there remains a need for an improved connector for a guide wire for use in changing catheters.